1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to fuel canisters. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for a heating fuel canister for use in heating food in a buffet line and having a fiberglass wick combined with a fiberglass layer, each drawing liquid fuel from within a housing for providing a broad, uniform flame when the liquid fuel is ignited.
2. Background Art
The prior art is directed to methods and apparatus for liquid fuel containers for use in heating food in a buffet line.
Many restaurants, hotels, and convention centers typically offer dining to patrons in the form of a buffet line. The buffet line type of dining experience is popular with patrons since it offers them the opportunity to pick and choose from a variety of prepared foods for a fee. Once the foods are prepared, they typically are displayed in a buffet line where patrons pass by and select which foods they wish to consume.
The buffet line is typically a series of tables in tandem on which the prepared foods are set out in containers known as chafing dishes. The chafing dishes are each typically mounted in a metal frame which is positioned on the series of tables. Ideally, the food is initially set out at the proper temperature for consumption and that proper temperature must be maintained. Those foods intended to be consumed at an elevated temperature must be kept hot during the time frame that the food is being displayed. In order to maintain the elevated temperature of the food, metallic fuel containers comprising a volume of liquid fuel such as, for example, diethylene glycol (or an equivalent) in combination with a suitable means for drawing the fuel from the fuel container (i.e., fuel drawing means) have been utilized. The fuel drawing means causes the fuel to be drawn out of the metallic fuel container via capillary action so that the fuel can be ignited. Once ignited, the fuel burns producing a flame which can be placed underneath the individual chafing dishes mounted within the metal frames. The flame transfers heat to the bottom of the individual chafing dishes for keeping the food contained therein hot.
Liquid fuel containers of the prior art are typically comprised of metal, such as, for example, light gauge steel. The typical prior art fuel container is cylindrical in shape and has a bottom wall and a top surface including an opening for providing access to the liquid fuel. Each of the prior art fuel containers includes a fuel drawing means for drawing the liquid fuel out of the fuel container for being ignited. Typically, the fuel drawing means is comprised of a single piece of non-flammable material which is employed to draw the liquid fuel out of the fuel container via capillary action for combustion. A cap or cover is known for sealing the fuel container during initial shipment and shelf life, and for safe storage after the fuel container has been opened but before all of the liquid fuel has been exhausted.
In order for the fuel container to operate efficiently and maintain the food temperature within an acceptable range, it is desirable that the fuel drawing means be easily ignited and produce a hot flame. Unfortunately, this criteria is not satisfied by the fuel containers of the prior art. Certain types of fuel drawing means are more convenient to ignite and generate a more concentrated flame but do not produce a flame sufficiently hot to maintain the food at the desired temperature. Other types of fuel drawing means generate a broader, i.e., less concentrated, flame but are very difficult to ignite. Thus, the ideal features of a fuel drawing means which include easy ignition and production of a hot flame have evaded designers of liquid fuel containers of the prior art.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a heating fuel canister having a housing including a continuous cylindrical sidewall, a bottom wall, a corrugated interseal top surface including a threaded neck integral therewith, a pan-shaped disk, and a combination of a fiberglass layer in physical communication with a fiberglass wick, the fiberglass layer and the fiberglass wick each drawing liquid fuel from the fuel canister for providing a broad, hot uniform flame when ignited, ignition being easily accomplished.
Briefly, and in general terms, the present invention provides a new and improved heating fuel canister for use in heating food in a buffet line in, for example, a restaurant, convention center or hotel. The heating fuel canister is employed by positioning it underneath a chafing dish mounted in a metal frame so that the chafing dish is suspended above the buffet line table. The heating fuel-canister contains a supply of liquid fuel that once ignited produces a broad, hot uniform flame for heating the food within the chafing dish.
In a preferred embodiment, the heating fuel canister can be comprised of a housing fashioned from a suitable steel material and having a continuous cylindrical sidewall and a bottom wall. The housing is covered by an interseal top surface which is affixed to a top edge of the cylindrical sidewall by a metal seam. The steel material of the interseal top surface is corrugated to increase the strength thereof and further includes a threaded neck having a center penetration formed there through. The threaded neck is integral with the corrugated interseal top surface (i.e., the threaded neck and the interseal top surface are comprised of one drawn piece of steel material) and is utilized to fill the heating fuel canister with a volume of liquid fuel.
Press-fitted within the center penetration of the threaded neck is a pan-shaped disk having an aperture and an air hole formed there through. Positioned upon the pan-shaped disk is a flat fiberglass layer or pad wherein the fiberglass layer is circular in shape and further includes a small circular opening. The small circular opening in the fiberglass layer is positioned to align with the aperture formed in the pan-shaped disk. Additionally, a fiberglass wick comprised of multiple strands of fiberglass extends from within the housing and upward through the aperture in the pan-shaped disk and the small circular opening in the fiberglass layer. Thus, the fiberglass wick is in physical contact with the fiberglass layer.
When assembled, the fiberglass wick of the heating fuel canister is immersed within the volume of liquid fuel contained within the housing. The liquid fuel is drawn up through and saturates the fiberglass wick via capillary action as is known in the art. The liquid fuel is also distributed to and saturates the fiberglass layer since the fiberglass wick is in physical communication with the fiberglass layer. Consequently, when ignited, the liquid fuel resident within both the fiberglass wick and the fiberglass layer burns resulting in a broader, hotter, more uniform flame than that produced in fuel containers of the prior art. This inventive combination results in a heating fuel canister having the desirable features of generating more heat (i.e., flame burns hotter) and being easier to ignite. Additionally, the heating fuel canister includes a threaded cap that cooperates with the threaded neck for removably sealing the center penetration of the corrugated interseal top surface.
The present invention is generally directed to a heating fuel canister having a combination of a fiberglass layer in physical communication with a fiberglass wick, the fiberglass layer and fiberglass wick each drawing liquid fuel from the fuel canister for providing a broad, hot uniform flame when ignited, ignition being easily accomplished. This combination provides the ideal features of a heating fuel canister which include convenient ignition and production of a hot flame. In its most fundamental embodiment, the heating fuel canister includes a housing for containing a volume of liquid fuel, the housing having a continuous cylindrical sidewall and a bottom wall. An interseal top surface is affixed to a top edge of the cylindrical sidewall and includes a threaded neck having a center penetration formed there through. The threaded neck is integral with the interseal top surface. A pan-shaped disk is press-fitted into the center penetration of the threaded neck. A fiberglass layer is positioned upon the pan-shaped disk. Finally, a fiberglass wick is extended from within the housing and is passed through the pan-shaped disk and the fiberglass layer for drawing liquid fuel into the fiberglass wick and the fiberglass layer for providing a broad, hot uniform flame when ignited.